“Students, including myself, don’t feel safe around police officers because they carry guns and I have to constantly watch my back instead of feeling safe,” said Aleita Cook, a Junior at Providence Career and Technical Academy (PCTA) and a member of the Providence Student Union (PSU).

Cook was testifying before the Rhode Island Senate Education Committee on three bills, S2773, S2774, S2796 that would put “resource officers,” armed police officers, in every school in Rhode Island. Committee Chair Senator Hanna Gallo (Democrat, District 27, Cranston), said Rhode Island Department of Administration estimated cost off the program would be $28 million annually to pay for 37 chief resource officers and “hundreds” of resource officers, the cost to be split between the state and the municipalities.

Read the whole story here featuring Resist grantee Providence Student Union.